


Dinner at Eight

by CobaltStargazer



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Couples Night, Developing Relationship, F/M, socializing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-01
Updated: 2014-07-01
Packaged: 2018-02-07 00:57:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1878972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CobaltStargazer/pseuds/CobaltStargazer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At JJ's invitation, Spencer and Elle agree to have dinner with her and Will. It goes better than anyone expects.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dinner at Eight

"I didn't know you liked Cajun food."

"They serve more than blackened catfish. Besides, Will's a nice guy. The only reason they didn't bring Henry is because he's got a cold. They want him to be well enough to be at my birthday party, though."

Spencer said it as he held the door open for Elle, and she glanced around to see if JJ and her husband had arrived yet. The blonde had apparently taken it upon herself to be the goodwill ambassador for the group, and she'd called Reid's apartment while he was out and extended an invitation to dinner. The former profiler had texted him before accepting, then agreed to a time and place. JJ had been friendly, even cheerful. Elle had gradually let her guard down.

Her main concern right now was that tomorrow they were all going to know that she and Spencer were sleeping together. He'd mentioned that Morgan had teetered on the brink of asking, and she didn't know how it _wasn't_ obvious when they were in close proximity. She didn't want to embarrass Spence or make things weird for him, and so she'd made a promise to herself to keep her hands in sight at all times.

The hostess returned from wherever she'd been, and when Reid gave their names, she said their party was already seated, then led them further into the restaurant. As they approached the table, Elle actually recognized JJ, and the blonde looked up from her conversation with the man at the table with her, and she smiled and waved before rising from her chair.

"Hey, you guys found the place," she said, and Elle was uncertain about how to proceed. In the past, she might have hugged the other woman, but she was more reserved than that now. But her answering smile was warm when she said, "Cajun food is like Cuban food. Reminds me of home in some ways."

Spencer and Will shook hands, and he pulled out Elle's chair before taking a seat for himself. The other couple hadn't ordered entrees yet, but there was a sampler platter on the table. "There's forks," the former police detective said when he saw Reiid's dubious expression. Spencer smiled self-consciously, picked one up. Elle resisted the urge to brush the hair away from the collar of his jacket, exposing his pale neck. Touching was for when they were alone.

"So Spencer says you went into retail," JJ said once the waiter had come and taken their orders. "He must have been delighted to find an independent book store."

"Yeah, he fit right in. And I brought a couple of books for Henry. I hope they're not too adult for him. I wasn't sure what he'd like, but I can give them to him later."

"Well, thank you," the blonde said, pleased. She had read between the lines when Hotch returned from New Mexico and gathered that things had not gone well. Reid's synopsis of events had added weight to that conclusion. But she wasn't nosy enough to pry, at least not right now. She and Elle had been friendly once, and if there _was_ a situation, dinner in a restaurant wasn't the place to bring it up.

Conversation got easier after a few minutes. Will and Elle traded stories about life on the job, and she looked at pictures of Henry and smiled at the kid's longish hair. "He starts school this year," JJ said, and the brunette picked up her drink. "I'm sorry I missed out on him being born," she said. "Was it hard going back to the unit afterwards?"

"We talked about her takin' a longer leave," Will interjected. "But we compromised. The marriage was actually a spur of the moment thing."

"Well, you guys seem to have made a good start of it," the former profiler said as she returned to the platter. She didn't want to eat too much so she could enjoy the actual meal, but she'd always loved good food.

Spencer had gradually relaxed. This evening had been a softball, both for himself and for Elle. JJ was the least likely to press, and while it was a bit of a conscious effort to not sneak looks at the brunette out of the corner of his eye, her presence in the chair next to him was calming. He'd always felt less awkward around her, even when she'd been with the team. Now that she was a civilian, their relationship wasn't prohibited by anti-fraternization rules, but keeping it under wraps seemed politic for the moment. 

The four of them chatted companionably after the food arrived, and halfway through the meal Reid excused himself to use the men's room. The fingers of his left hand brushed over Elle's shoulder, a casual touch, and she smiled at his retreating back. 

The expression was so warm, so unguarded that JJ raised an eyebrow. Spencer and Elle? Or maybe it was one-sided. It would be different, whatever the case. 

The brunette caught the look, schooled her features into something more neutral, "What?" she asked innocently, and the other woman shrugged slightly.

"Nothing. I was just thinking that it's really good to see you again. And that I'm glad Reid looked you up."

That brought the smile back, with slightly less wattage, and Elle said, "I'm glad he did too. It took some work, but he helped me out."

Spencer returned to the table, and conversation resumed. The food was very good, and the lack of tension was notable on both sides. Will knew that his wife had been worried about this dinner, concerned that her former colleagues would be abrasive, but that hadn't happened. When their plates had been finished with and cleared away by the waiter, Reid insisted on picking up the check.

"We were going to treat _you_ ," JJ protested, but he smiled and waved at her to put her wallet away. He was glad to spend the money since she and Will had made them comfortable and hadn't asked questions. The price of dinner was low when the reward was a respectful lack of interrogation.

"You can have a night out later, just the two of you, and I'll babysit Henry," he said as he signed his name to the receipt. "That'll clear your tab."

The two couples bid each other good night, and Spencer and Elle waited by his car as JJ piloted their vehicle out of the parking lot. "I enjoyed that," she said contemplatively, and he laughed quietly.

"Are you surprised?"

"Not really. I didn't think JJ would have had a problem with what happened before. Of course, I _might_ be a little concerned that she'll hurt me when she finds out I'm having my way with you every chance I get. Big sisters can be _so_ annoying."

Spencer's laugh turned into a snort, and without warning he snagged the waistband of Elle's slacks and gently pulled her into him. They were alone now, and that meant he could touch her. He dipped his head, and she tilted her face upwards. His lips came closer, then closer still, and he dropped the slightest kiss on her mouth, the barest touch. And then pulled away before she could kiss him back. She made an indignant sound, but he was already moving around to the driver's side door. Before he opened it, he looked at her over the roof, and the spark in his eyes made her shiver.

"We'll see who has their way with who."


End file.
